H-1542.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1896

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Representatives Pelesky and Casada

Read first time 02/14/95.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Changing requirements for the establishment of community councils.

    AN ACT Relating to community councils in unincorporated areas; and amending RCW 36.105.010, 36.105.020, and 36.105.030.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 36.105.010 and 1991 c 363 s 99 are each amended to read as follows:

    Voters of the unincorporated areas of the state are authorized to establish community councils as provided in this chapter.

    It is the purpose of this chapter to provide voters of unincorporated areas in counties with a population of over thirty thousand that are made up entirely of islands and in counties with a population of over six hundred thousand with direct input on the planning and zoning of their community by establishing a governmental mechanism to adopt proposed community comprehensive plans and proposed community zoning ordinances that are consistent with an overall guide and framework adopted by the county legislative authority.  In addition, it is the purpose of this chapter to have community councils serve as forums for the discussion of local issues.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 36.105.020 and 1991 c 363 s 100 are each amended to   read as follows:

    Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

    (1) "Community" means a portion of the unincorporated area for which a community council has been established and which is located in a county with a population of over thirty thousand that is made up entirely of islands and in counties with a population of over six hundred thousand.

    (2) "Community comprehensive plan" means a comprehensive plan adopted by a community council.

    (3) "Community council" means the governing body established under this chapter to adopt community comprehensive plans and community zoning ordinances for a community.

    (4) "Community zoning ordinances" means the zoning ordinances adopted by a community council to implement a community comprehensive plan.

    Sec. 3.  RCW 36.105.030 and 1991 c 363 s 101 are each amended to read as follows:

    A community for which a community council is created may include only unincorporated territory located in a single county with a population of over thirty thousand that is made up entirely of islands and in counties with a population of over six hundred thousand and not included within a city or town.  A community council must have at least one thousand persons residing within the community when the community council is created or, where the community only includes an entire island, at least three hundred persons must reside on the island when the community council is created.  Any portion of such a community that is annexed by a city or town, or is incorporated as a city or town, shall be removed from the community upon the effective date of the annexation or the official date of the incorporation.

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